Michigan State’s Connor Cook is the recipient of the 2015 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually since 1987 to the nation’s top college quarterback, it was announced Tuesday afternoon. The winningest quarterback in school history (34-4), Cook threw for 2,921 yards and 24 touchdowns while leading the Spartans (12-1) to an appearance in the College Football Playoff Semifinal against Alabama (12-1) in the Dec. 31 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Cook beat out TCU’s Trevone Boykin, USC’s Cody Kessler, Memphis’ Paxton Lynch and Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott to become just the second Big Ten quarterback to claim the honor, following

Chris Ash officially was introduced as head coach at Rutgers on Monday. He is a bright defensive mind who is ready for the next step after helping run the Ohio State defense the last two years. Steve Politi of NJ.com has five first impressions. Politi thinks Ash should leave his OSU post now and dedicate himself to RU. But Ash will coach in the Fiesta Bowl with the Buckeyes. I like it. Here are Ash’s contract terms. Ash, who turns 42 on Dec. 24, has a five-year, $11-million deal and will receive a guaranteed salary starting at $2 million for

Every year this comes out, and I love to check it out. It’s a look at the contents in the bowl goody bags given to players. And some of the loot is pretty sweet. [ MORE: Full 2015-16 bowl schedule | Ranking the bowls, 1-40 | Big Ten bowl bags | Big Ten bowl factoids | Get all of our bowl coverage ] Watches, sandals, sunglasses, $300 gift cards to Best Buy … even something called a Ogio backack with hydration bladder. I guess I want one. I don’t know. Maybe. Check it all out. It’s a nice haul for

Need a holiday present for the Big Ten fan who seems to have everything? [ MORE: Like this post? Check out our full Gone Viral section ] You may be in luck; that is, if you know someone who is a Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State or Wisconsin fan who loves representing his/her school and state. Groupon is currently running a sale on NCAA College State Signs, with the aforementioned five Big Ten schools included in the collection, for $36.99. Each sign, which weighs roughly 4.5 pounds, is the shape of the school’s state and includes geographical features. Click

Rutgers recently hired a new A.D. Now, the school has hired a new coach in Chris Ash to replace Kyle Flood. [ MORE: Watch the Rutgers press conference live at 1:30 p.m. ET on BTN2Go ] Ash is one of the nation’s rising defensive minds, looking to improve the fortunes of a Rutgers program that went 4-8 overall, 1-7 in the Big Ten last year. Ash will face challenges navigating a rugged Big Ten East, but he won’t inherit a full-on rebuilding job. There is talent to work with as players like QB Chris Laviano, RBs Josh Hicks and Robert